In a communications or entertainment network, devices need to be interconnected so that any two devices are capable of communicating with each other. In this way, content originating from any media source within the network can be made to flow to any intended media destination within the network. For instance, if an entertainment network includes a DVD player and multiple video display units, it is desirable that any video produced by the DVD player can be directed to any specific video display unit within the network. It is also desirable that any audio accompanying the video be automatically directed to speakers associated with that video display unit.
One method of achieving such interconnectivity is to assign each device on a network a unique identifier. The device, however, first needs to be connected to the network. This may be done by providing each device with a default identifier (also known as “factory setting”). Upon initial connection, the device may use this identifier to communicate with the other devices on the network. Once in communication, the device may then learn the unique identifiers of the existing devices, and acquire its own, unique identifier. Having established these unique identifiers, any device on the network may communicate uniquely with any other device on the network.
For instance, when a DVD player is connected to a network, it may initially communicate with other devices in the network using factory settings that merely identify it as a DVD player. Having established initial communications, it may then exchange data with other devices in the network, obtain their unique identifiers, and establish itself as DVD player number 1, and. When a second DVD device is attached, it too may initially communicate using factory settings, exchange data with all other devices in the network, and establish itself as DVD player number 2. In this way, each device acquires a unique identity within the network, enabling data to flow to and from the required devises.
In traditional wired networks, such unique, paired connections may be established in a straightforward manner via the physical cables linking the devices. Security is ensured because the data is exchanged over the cables that physically connect the devices into the network, so that only physically connected devices can participate in the data exchange. If the data exchange is performed upon connecting each device, both uniqueness and security may be easily maintained, even though like devices are manufactured and distributed with the like default identities and default parameters.
This straight forward and secure approach is not possible with wireless networks. A problem in setting up wireless networks is that each device is capable of communicating with any other suitable, or receptive, device that happens to be within its operational range. For instance, wireless devices communicating using the IEEE 802.11b protocol (also known as “WiFi”) typically have an operational range of 30-100 meters. A WiFi enabled device using default settings is therefore initially capable of communicating with any other WiFi enabled device with default setting that happens to be within that 30-100 meter range. This creates problems in setting up user networks, particularly in urban environments in which the WiFi range of operation may include several apartment units or dwellings. In attempting to set up a network in one apartment, a user may inadvertently incorporate devices from neighboring apartments. The negative results of such mistakes are easy to imagine and may include situations such as viewing images from a neighbors DVD player or listening to content originating from a neighbor's audio device.
Manufacturing each pair of wireless devices with unique, matching parameters would not only be a huge logistical problem, but would restrict each pair of devices to having to be used together. Such a lack of interoperability or exchangeability of devices is unacceptable to manufacturers, sales staff and consumers.
In computer wireless networks, privacy, if desired, is maintained by encryption schemes such as, but not limited to, Wire Equivalent Protocol (WEP). Setting up such a secure wireless network requires entering encryption keys into memory on each of the participating wireless devices. This not only requires a reasonable degree of technical sophistication, but also requires having a keyboard at each entry point and is time consuming. Consumer electronic wireless devices typically do not have a keyboard. Ideally, they should be capable of being quickly and easily networked by the average consumer who has little technical expertise.
What is needed is a mechanism that allows an unsophisticated, and possibly impatient, user to create and expand a consumer product wireless network by quickly and easily establishing unique links between any pair of wireless devices, while preventing accidental connection to any wireless device not intended to be part of the network.